The Future
by DownwardSunshine
Summary: This is Post Season Finale. The way I think the gang should end up. Contains JH and JF Angst ED Romance. JE friendship. I'm a JH shipper, keep that in mind :
1. Chapter 1

This is my First FanFic. Please be gentle with me. I would really appreciate reviews so I know if I am going in the right direction with this.

Disclaimer: I do not own That 70's Show or any of its characters. If I did well the 8th season would be very different.

Time Line: Post Series Finale.

She really left this time and like before she didn't even say goodbye. He couldn't blame her really, not after the way he had treated her. Thinking back on the small snippets of time he had actually spent with her he realized how much his callous burns must have hurt. He could see it at the time but he pushed any doubts away because he was hurting too. Not the heartbreaking hurt because well he was Zen and he didn't let things bother him that much, but he was still smarting a bit over the whole Kelso fiasco.

She had actually slept with Kelso. She had so little faith in him that she had left Point Place without waiting for the answer she demanded that he give her. He went out on a limb for her; he was willing to change for her, to be the man that she so desperately needed him to be and when he finally took that step and went to her for once she had betrayed him.

He hated her for that. He hated her for making him really feel for the first time in his life and then throwing those feelings back at him like they were garbage, like he was garbage. They had fought, she had cried. He had donned the most Zen mask he could come up with under the circumstances refusing to let her tears sway him and told her that they were over. There were a lot of things he could forgive her for, but sleeping with Kelso was just not one of them. She must have known that he loved her and would come for her. She had to have known that. He had shown her that he loved her in so many different ways so it just all came down to her not giving a shit about him. She was so twisted in her marriage fantasies that she must have not cared who it was too, just that it happened.

Hyde sighed in frustration as he stood up from his reclined position on his bed. He walked over to his bag, unzipped it and grabbed a shirt, sniffing it to make sure it was clean before putting it on. He searched for his keys in the bag, found them and zipped the bag back up, grabbed it and walked out of the room. He looked around at the now empty basement picturing where the couch and the table had been that the group had formed so many circles around. He felt a pang of remorse at how it all had ended. He really thought they would have all managed to stay together but each one of them had left to do their own thing, to be their own person and it was time for him to do the same.

Hyde walked towards the side door, turned around and took one last glance at what was before reaching for the door handle and leaving the room, leaving the basement and in essence leaving many lifelong friendships behind him. As he shut the door he cocked his head, he could have sworn he had heard "Burn" yelled in Kelso's voice but he knew that wasn't the case. The 70's were over and so were the friendships that had helped pull him through those years. He was truly alone now.


	2. Chapter 2

She never thought she would see him again, but he came when she was at her lowest point. He always had a knack for that. He always seemed to know right when she needed him. Donna glanced sideways at Eric wondering what he was thinking. Was he glad to be home? Had he been happy to see her or was it in act, an attempt for Eric to try and force things into being what they once were? Donna had no idea. She was tired of thinking. She leaned her head back on the headrest of the Vista Cruiser with a sigh and closed her eyes.

Eric heard the sigh and knew that now was the time to talk to her, to explain the lack of phone calls and the letter. He had thought he was holding her back. He knew he was holding her back. Donna had dreams, aspirations, she wanted to be somebody. But instead she was stuck waiting for her dip boyfriend to come back from Africa so she could watch him do something and be something. That wasn't fair to her and he knew it. He had to end it. He had to push her towards her future, but all he had done was push her into the arms of some dopey haired pretty boy. He couldn't believe it when he got the letter from Jackie telling him all about Donna and the lame ass. He thought after Casey Kelso she had finally learned her lesson. As he thought about it he realized she had, Hyde had told him about her almost moving in with pretty boy but that at the last minute she had finally decided it was time for to move forward with her life. He had gotten letters from the gang, although he didn't actually see what was going on he could tell that Donna seemed to be turning into a morphed version of Jackie, always needing a man there. He had never expected that from his feminist Donna. But it looked like she had finally realized that she needed to think of her for a change and he was relieved that she was finally taking action.

Eric reached down and flicked the stereo on hearing an old Zeppelin tune and smiled. He looked over at Donna and he could see a small grin begin to form at the corners of her mouth. She opened her eyes and they looked at each other.

"Every time I hear Zeppelin I think of Hyde, I hope he'll be okay" Donna said.

"Oh, you know Hyde. Hyde is Hyde, Hyde is Zen, Hyde doesn't let anything bother him, and he'll be fine."

Eric had doubts about what he had just said but he kept them to himself. Donna had enough to deal with as it was without having to worry about one of her friends. He knew Hyde was not okay, Jackie leaving had torn him up. Hyde would never show it but with the wisdom of an old friendship Eric could tell that he was hurting but he had no idea how to help. Hyde was the master of his own pain, he had created it. How do you help somebody with that? What do you say? 'Hey asshole, you married a stripper when you wouldn't marry Jackie, you called Jackie 10,000 different names and you hurt her like nobody ever has.. But suck it up she'll come back?' Eric didn't think that was appropriate or even realistic. The truth was he was sure Jackie wasn't coming back.

During the year while he had been in Africa he had called Jackie and written her letters, it was an attempt to learn anything he could about how Donna was doing. She had answered him in true Jackie style, giving him snippets of Donna but talking mainly about herself. Through her sad and angry words Eric could see how much Hyde had hurt her. True she had slept with Kelso but she had honestly thought at that time that she had lost Hyde, that she had issued just one too many ultimatums. She told him of her regret for even saying anything because she would have rather had pieces of him for the past year instead of watching him act like they had never been together.

Eric could still remember the phone call he had with Jackie the night she found out about Hyde's wife. Her tears were heartbreaking to listen to. She cried for hours on the phone. Although it cost him a bloody fortune he just couldn't hang up. Nobody else was there for her. Her parents were gone, her best friend was too embroiled in her own pain to even notice what was going on and the one person she had always turned too had ditched her for a stripper. Eric was afraid listening to her on the phone and hearing her talk about how her life was over, how the one true love of her life had betrayed her trust and her love. Eric had feared for her sanity if not her life. He had had no idea what to say to her. All he could do was murmur soothing sounds and listen, just be there for her.

After that phone call Jackie and he had formed a bond, a bond of friendship and shared betrayals. They had written long heartfelt letters to each other and shared countless hours on the phone. He was almost as exited to see her as he was to see Donna. What he saw when he got back was not the Jackie he had known before he left. He saw an angry bitter woman who was so down on herself that she would take whatever affection and supposed love she could find. She was so desperate to be with somebody, anybody that she had ended up with Fez of all people.

Fez was his friend but he wasn't the one for Jackie, Eric knew that and he was pretty sure Fez did as well.

Eric heard a sound coming from the passenger seat and he looked over in surprise almost forgetting that Donna was in the car with him. Donna, he had no idea what to do or what to say to her. He loved her with everything that was in him but had he screwed everything up to the point of no return? Would she accept his apologies, would she understand why he had broken her heart? How could she, when he didn't truly understand it himself anymore. It had all seemed so clear when he was in Africa. But now that he was back with her, this close to her he couldn't think rationally. All he knew was that he wanted this woman by his side for the rest of his life and he would stop at nothing to accomplish it.

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews. They mean the world to me. This is semi AU. The only way I could come close to justifying what Hyde has become in the 8th season was to have Jackie sleep with Kelso. Then some of it makes sense.


	3. Chapter 3

She was finally his. He had no idea what God he had to thank for it but he would thank them a thousand times a day for as long as she was with him. She was so beautiful. She had changed much since he had first met her. He could only expect that after everything she had gone through. On the outside she looked happy and almost serene but he could tell that something was going on with her. Something wasn't quite right but he couldn't figure out exactly what the problem was.

"Fez?"

"Fez!"

"FEZ!"

Fez jumped after hearing Jackie yell his name. "Ai, sorry I didn't hear you my little lotus flower."

Jackie rolled her eyes while walking out of the bathroom. "Fez, did you have to pick such a dump of a motel? They don't even have those little shampoo samples. I didn't bring any shampoo with me, how am I supposed to wash my hair!"

"Umm, I'll go get…"

"No, don't worry about it, it doesn't matter. I'll just make do." Jackie said with a smile. She realized she was saying that a lot lately 'I'll just make do'. She wanted to take the time to ponder that fleeting thought but there was a knock on the door.

She stood there and watched Fez get up from the double bed they shared in a no-name motel somewhere between Point Place and Kenosha with the flickering hope that even after all this time it might be Steven coming after her. She knew in her head that it wasn't. She knew she had to get over anything she felt for him like he had and move on. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud yell.

"Damn Jackie, it's been what days since I've seen you and you can't even say hello? Oh I get it, my beauty has you speechless. I get that a lot."

Michael Kelso sauntered into the room and smoothed his hand over his hair. He grabbed Jackie in a big bear hug and she squealed trying to get away from him.

"Michael! Put me down right now, Michael I said NOW!"

Michael lowered her small frame to the ground and let go of her. Jackie hurried over to Fez's side and checked his face to make sure that Michael's little display of affection didn't bother him. When she was satisfied that it hadn't she wasted no time trying to find out what in blazes Michael was doing in their motel room.

"Michael, what are you doing here? How did you find us? Is something wrong? Is it Ste…?"

She was cut off by Michael's laugh. "No, nothing is wrong. I was just passing through from a seminar on somesecurity stuff… some training thing… who knows what for and I saw Fez's car. I wasn't sure it was his but there was still some paint on the grill from…"

"Yes, yes well that has been put behind us, right dear?" squeaked Fez. He really didn't want anybody bringing up how small his parts were again.

"Oh thank god, it's just you being stupid again and not something serious. I have to take a shower; this motel room is making me feel filthy."

"Ohh a shower, well you're going to get all wet and lathered up, you'll need help with that and Ole Kelso here is just the one for the job. I'll just…"

"Michael, no. You are not showering with me. Get a grip, I'm with Fez you loon."

With that Jackie grabbed a towel and a change of clothing from her bag and headed towards the small bathroom.

Michael just shook his head and grinned "Sorry Fez can't blame a guy for trying."

"Yes I know, but get your own woman! Jackie is Mine, Mine I say!" Fez said with an angry look in his eyes.

"Hey buddy I didn't mean any harm, its just Jackie you know...She's hot and I haven't seen her hot parts in a year, I had to give it a whirl."

Kelso walked over to the bed, sat down and turned the small motel TV on.

With that Fez laughed. He knew Kelso was just being Kelso. Fez heard the shower start to run and decided he needed to talk and Kelso was here and well it didn't hurt to get his opinion as stupid as it would probably be.

"Hey Kelso, can I ask you something?"

Kelso looked up from the blurred porn he had tilted his head to watch with a semi guilty look and flicked the TV off. "Ehh I can see that all day in Chicago, after working with the Bunnies voyeurism has kind of lost some of its appeal. What's up little buddy?"

Fez joined him on the opposite side of the bed and leaned back. "There is something wrong with Jackie. She's not all there, you know? She nice all the time and while we were on the way here she broke a nail and she didn't even yell or get upset about it! I even tried to start an argument with her." Fez's voice became a whisper "I told her she needed to do something with her hair, do you know what she said? She said whatever! It's like talking to a wall. It's like she doesn't hear me. You know what I mean?"

"Fez, my man I have no idea what you are talking about. You mean you want Jackie to talk? Have you lost your ever loving mind? The best part about Jackie is her looks, when she shuts up for five seconds those are precious moments that you want to savor."

Fez just stared at Kelso with a look of veiled disgust in his eyes.

"Okay, okay. You want Jackie to talk to you. Why, I don't know but okay. Let's try and be Jackie. Get past the make up and the money and the good looks and see what makes Jackie tick…"

Kelso sat there thinking about that for a minute or two "Nope, Make-up, money and good looks are what make Jackie tick. That is who she is. Did you expect like deep conversations? If so then you are with the wrong girl. The only time she was like that was when she was with Hyde. You can't expect her to be like that anymore Fez."

In a rare show of wisdom Kelso felt the need to be completely honest with Fez.

"Look Fez, Jackie is a great girl, but you have to dig deep to get to the greatness. I never cared enough to do that. I just wasn't interested enough. Hyde was. Hyde was able to break through barriers that she had set up. He was able to talk to her in ways you or I never could or will be able to."

Kelso was interrupted by Fez "That's not true! Anyway, Jackie is with me now not Hyde."

Michael raised his hands in supplication "I honestly don't care who Jackie ends up with; I just don't want to see her hurt anymore. After having Betsy I understand a little bit more about women and I'm pretty sure you're the 'safe' guy, the guy that will never hurt her. Jackie needs that now. She needs to feel loved. I think that's all she ever needed. It's something nobody could ever give her. I think you can. But I'm not sure she'll love you back buddy. I'm a dumb ass and even I could see that what Hyde and Jackie had was special. It's going to take her a while to get over that. I'm sure she will eventually, I'm just not so sure you'll still be around when she does."

With that Michael hopped off the bed and flicked the TV back on in the hopes of seeing some boob between the snow. Ah what was he thinking, this never got old!

Fez laid in the bed thinking about what Kelso had just said. He didn't expect to hear anything like that from Kelso. He expected Kelso to just tell him to nail Jackie and everything would be fine. Maybe Kelso was right, maybe he had made a mistake when he decided to be with Jackie.

Neither one of them had noticed the water stop running. Behind the bathroom door Jackie wearing only a towel sank down to her knees and cried. She cried for her lost childish dreams of Michael being her price charming, she cried for what she was doing to Fez. Michael was right. She didn't love him. She really thought she had. But she now realized that what she felt for him was a deep friendship. After Hyde's marriage he was really the only one that was there for her. Sure she had Eric, but he was millions of miles away in some god forsaken village. Most of all she cried because of one lousy screw up. She didn't know what prompted her to sleep with Michael. She was so alone. She was in an unfamiliar place and he was her life line, the only thing she could cling to that reminded her of home. A little alcohol, okay a lot of alcohol and she was in his arms again. It wasn't about love or even lust; it was about being homesick and missing everything that was familiar. As the silent tears racked her body Jackie couldn't help but remember the look on Hyde's face when he walked in on them, to this day it still pierced her soul.


	4. Chapter 4

He was just driving around. He didn't really have a destination in mind. Just driving and thinking about the past and the future. He had no idea what his future might hold. Sure he had Grooves so he at least had a job. Madison wasn't that far, he could visit Eric and Donna every once in a while. Kelso came back every so often to visit his folks so that was cool. Fez was… well Fez was with Jackie so Hyde didn't think he would be seeing him too often. It was a shame too; you could always count on Fez for a laugh in an awkward situation.

Hyde glanced to the right and saw the Leaving Point Place sign and he wondered if that was what he should do. Should he just forget all this crap and just take off? It would probably be easier.

He could start a new life for himself. Meet new people, people that didn't know about his past.

He could forget all about Jackie and that dipshit Kelso and leave all of it behind. Man, he still could not believe what he had walked in on in that hotel room over a year ago. He had spent the whole drive to Chicago trying to find the right words. The words he knew Jackie wanted…no needed to hear. He even bought a damn ring! Hyde took his hand off the steering wheel and searched his pocket before he found it. He carried it around everyday. He had no idea why. Maybe as a reminder of what love really was and what he had always thought it had been, some bullshit propaganda made up so that people would buy more crap.

He had really thought Jackie was "the one." She had made him feel like he was finally wanted. He had lost himself in her.

Hyde slammed his fist against the steering wheel realizing that no matter what he was doing his thoughts always returned to Jackie. He needed to get over this and move on. She seemed happy now with Fez. He didn't understand the relationship but whatever.

Maybe Fez could finally give Jackie whatever she was searching for, or maybe Jackie was making the biggest mistake of her life. Either way it was up to Jackie to figure it out.

With that thought Hyde turned on the radio and let the soothing sounds of The Rolling Stones obliterate any thoughts of Jackie or his own future.


	5. Chapter 5

"Jackie?"

She could hear him calling her but she didn't know what to do. Every boyfriend she had broken up with had forced her hand because he had cheated on her. She didn't know how to be the bad person in the relationship.

Jackie sat in the bathroom after donning her clothes. She had heard Kelso leave about 20 minutes earlier and now she was left alone in a hotel room with Fez and Fez's car., with no way to get anywhere else without Fez and his car. When had she become so pathetic? What the hell was happening to her?

"Sweetie?"

"Shit" Jackie muttered under her breath. She needed a few more minutes to face him. She needed to compose herself so she could tell them that their hook up was a huge mistake.

"Umm, Fez… Can you just give me a few more minutes? I'm uh having a make-up problem. My eyelashes are stuck in my mascara wand."

As soon as the words left her mouth Jackie cringed at the ridiculous lie. Damn she was getting soft; she couldn't come up with something better than that? She was getting as bad as Michael! She just hoped that Fez would buy it and give her just a few more minutes.

"Okay, how did... never mind. I'll just be umm out here, by myself, not doing anything."

Jackie rolled her eyes not wanting to picture what Fez's version of not doing anything was and thought more about her dilemma. She got up from her seated position on the floor and paced the small bathroom. She just had to tell him. 'Look, I made a huge mistake, I'm still in love with Steven and I just want to be your friend.' Even in her mind that sounded trite.

While Jackie was pacing she caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She really did look like hell. Her hair was all ratty, almost like Donna's. A shiver of revulsion ran through her at that thought. The make-up story was not only inane but a pure lie simply because she hadn't brought any with her. She just wanted to get the hell out of Point Place as fast as she could. Where the hell was Jackie Burkhart? This sure wasn't her. Jackie Burkhart did not go anywhere without her make-up. She did not let herself go like this. She needed to get the hell away from the Jackie she was becoming and find her former self before she turned into an average looking person. That would just not do.

Jackie resumed her pacing and started to prioritize. First thing was to break it off with Fez. Second thing was to get Fez to take her back to Point Place. Third thing was to go to a damn mall and get some freaking make-up so she didn't look like the Bride of Frankenstein. The fourth thing…well she couldn't really think of that right now. She had no idea what to say to him. Jackie pushed that thought away and faced the bathroom door. If she wanted to get to the fourth thing then she needed to get through the first.

With that thought running through her mind she turned the knob on the bathroom door and walked into the other room not knowing what the hell she was going to say only knowing that something had to be said.

Fez looked up from the porno that Kelso had left turned on and quickly shut it off when he saw Jackie walk into the room. He had heard her crying earlier he just didn't want to say anything in front of Kelso. He was pretty sure he knew why she was crying and he had been afraid of this. He had known this was going to happen eventually he had just thought maybe they would have lasted a bit longer than a few weeks.

Jackie sat down on the side of the bed next to Fez and took his hand. "Fez, look we need to talk."

"Jackie, what is the matter? I heard you crying earlier and I..."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean for you to hear that. I'm just, I'm not happy, you know? I really thought I was and that I would be with you. But I'm just not. I don't even recognize myself anymore. I've turned into this shell of myself and I don't like it."

"Hyde will not take you back, so if this is what this is abo... "

"No! This is not about Steven. It's about me. I think it's finally time for me to start taking care of me again. I love you Fez, I really do but it's not the kind of love you need or even deserve. I love you like my best friend. You'll always have a place in my heart but you deserve so much better than me. Yea, you can be creepy and you are foreign but some lady will make you very happy one day. I wish I could be that woman but I'm not."

Jackie looked up at Fez through her tear filled eyes hoping that he would make this easy on her. She reached over to hug him and was relieved when he didn't pull away.

"Jackie, it's okay. I knew this was going to happen eventually. I'll always love you but I had a talk with Kelso and something he said made me think. Don't scoff; Michael is more than good looks!"

"Whatever you say Fez."

Fez could hear the amusement in her voice. "Yes, well not much more but anyway, let's just put this behind us and move on. We still have those jobs in Chicago waiting for us, there is only one bed in the new apartment but we can still do you know... strictly as friends of course." Fez's brows wiggled up and down in a comical display and all Jackie could so was laugh. She really did love being with him when he was like this. When he was Fez and not the adoring boyfriend he was definitely a hoot, a sick perverted hoot but definitely a funny guy.

"Well, about that. You see, I kind of wanted to go back to Point Place. I still have some unfinished business there and well yea can you take me back?"

"But we have..." Fez saw the look of determination in Jackie's eyes and just decided to skip the argument he knew he would lose. "Yes, I will take you back; maybe Fez can find some loving there. There were some hot babes at the Weight Watchers meeting... I need to get back to them before they become too good looking. Alright, I'll pack everything up so we can head back to hell."

Fez got up from the bed and started to gather their scattered belongings muttering something under his breath about indecisive women and mascara wands.

Jackie lay back on the bed and smiled. Number one and two were out of the way and she hadn't lost a valued friendship. Now onto number three, she really needed some lip gloss.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I love all of you! Writing E/D is pretty hard. I didn't think it would be which is why the update took so long. Sorry about that, much kudos to writers who can write them well!

Eric sat in the driver's seat of the cruiser waiting for Donna to get a drink from the gas station they had stopped at. He had tried to start a conversation with her earlier but she had just shrugged him off. He knew he had some apologizing to do but he needed her to listen to him before he could even attempt it. She just sat there like a stone looking out the window. He wondered what she had been thinking about. Was she thinking of him or was she just thinking about starting College in Madison in two days?

Eric was swayed from his thoughts by the sound of the passenger door opening. Donna got in the car, put her drink in the drink holder and resumed her reflective position staring out the window.

Enough of this crap, Eric thought. It was time to hash this out. He needed to explain some things to her and by god she was going to listen to him.

Eric turned in his seat and tried to formulate the right words. "Look, Donna we really need to talk. We need to get all of this stuff out in the open so we can move on, either together or apart."

He must have said the right combination of words because she finally looked at him. "What do you mean together or apart? Are you trying to tell me something? Do you think that after all the shit you have put me through over the past year that you get to dictate terms? What a pile of crap Eric! You want to have it out then fine we'll have it out. You want to do this in the middle of a freaking parking lot at some hellhole gas station then fine let's just get this over with." Donna stared at Eric trying to hold her anger in check waiting for him to speak.

Eric laughed nervously "Umm, you know what this can just wait. Let's just get goi…" Eric tried to turn back around to the steering wheel but he was stopped by Donna's hand.

No he was not getting off that easily, not after this much time. "No, I don't think so buddy. We're doing this now. You're going to tell me once and for all and honestly this time why you broke up with me from Africa in a letter! In a letter Eric! You couldn't even pick up the damn phone? What, you couldn't spring for a 5 minute phone call?" At this point Donna could hear her voice rising with every word she spoke but she didn't give a shit. She could not believe he had done that to her.

Eric sighed "Donna, it's not as black and white as you make it seem. I just, I wanted, I was holding you back. You weren't going anywhere. Don't you remember when you wanted to get the hell out of Point Place and be somebody? If you don't I sure do. I remember a girl that lived for tomorrow not for today. When I decided to go to Africa, it was the hardest decision I've ever had to make."

Eric turned back in his seat, stared out the windshield and started to fiddle with his hands. "I wanted to be with you and I knew you were going to be something and the only way for me to be with you was for me to be more than a guy that liked Star Wars and hung out in his parent's basement. The only way I could do that was to go to Africa. I didn't see any other options."

Eric slumped his shoulders in frustration. "I know now that it could have been different. I could have been the guy you deserved and stayed here. I could have gotten a job and just been a little behind you but honestly at the time I thought you deserved so much more."

Eric turned to Donna imploringly hoping she would understand "I left for you; I left so I could be a person that you would love. I know that it was a mistake now. I know I should have stayed. But I can't take it back. I can't undo it and I can't make it go away. Please understand that, if nothing else."

Donna could feel the tears start to build up but she just was just not ready to forgive him. She sat back in the seat with a sigh. She turned her head and looked into Eric's eyes "Okay, you left for me. It was stupid but I can understand it. But why did you break up with me? Why did you put me through that? You have no idea how hard it was for me. I had our future mapped out. You were going to come back and I was going to go to school and major in broadcast journalism and you would be a teacher and we would get married and have little red head stick kids. With one letter you destroyed that. How could you do that to me?" Donna snapped.

Eric knew that it was now or never. Get everything out, tell her everything and just be done with it.

"Donna, it was probably the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life. Red should rain a thousand dumbasses on me. I got letters from Hyde and Jackie and even Fez. They all said how great you were doing as Hot Donna. All of them kept saying how happy you seemed and that's when I figured it out. It's not that you were happy without me, that wasn't it." Eric said when he saw Donna start to shake her head.

"It was that you were getting too happy in Point Place. You weren't going to school and seemed to have no plans to. You were just floating happily in some bubble and I knew the bubble would burst. When it did I thought you would blame me for putting you in a position that you had to stall your life for me. I never wanted that for you. So I thought it best to just end it so you could move on. I thought you would be stronger and more independent."

Eric glanced over at Donna trying to read her before he said the rest. "But, you weren't. You just kept doing the same damn thing. Just floating around aimlessly but instead of having a boyfriend in Africa you got together with some guy who was happy to be going nowhere just like you."

Eric could almost feel the waves of anger flowing in his direction "I'm not saying this to piss you off. I'm being honest. I'm not going to get into whatever happened between you and that Randy guy, it's not my right after what I did."

Eric tried to grasp Donna's hand but she pulled away. "Okay I deserve that. I know you probably hate me but I didn't know what else to do. I knew that if I called you and told you how I honestly felt you would play it off as nothing and nothing would have changed. I also knew that I probably couldn't have gone through with it over the phone so I just got everything out in a letter before I could change my mind. As soon as it was out of my hands I regretted it but there was nothing I could do at that point. Everything was already in motion. I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for sending you a Dear Jane. It was pathetic and stupid and I know all of that now."

Eric looked up at Donna hoping that she was getting what he was saying. "I love you Donna. I have ever since we were kids and I always will. I understand if this time I've finally messed things up so much that you can't be with me but know that I'll always love you. You'll always be the one girl for me. I want to make this work like I need air to breath but I'm not going to force it. When you are ready, I'll be here for you. I always will be." He had laid it all out for her. Now he just had to wait and see how she would take it and if she still wanted him.

Donna looked out the window through her tear streaked eyes trying to absorb his words and their meaning. He had left because of her, because he wanted to be good enough for her. He just didn't get that he was perfect the way he had been. She didn't need a big shot husband like Jackie did. She didn't need him to be anymore than plain old Eric. He was never going to understand that. He had left her because he still didn't think he was good enough for her and because he thought she was wasting her life. Maybe he was right about the last part she thought. Maybe she had been just floating along waiting for him so that her life could start.

Donna ran her hands through her hair andwiped her eyes in frustration. "Eric you're right. I was just going through the motions waiting for you. I didn't think I would ever be that person but evidently I am. But what was I supposed to do? I loved you. I wanted to be with you and you left. I was afraid that if I went to college, if I moved on even a little bit I would lose you and I just couldn't bear that. But instead you took the choice away from me. You left me heartbroken and bitter, bitter enough that instead of just saying to hell with it and you and moving on I was lost not knowing what the hell to do. So I just kept floating. It wasn't until I woke up one day and just saw endless days spent hanging out in my Ex-Fiancé's basement and radio shows until I grew too old to be Hot Donna that I realized I had to make a change."

Donna looked at Eric sorrowfully "I love you Eric and I probably always will but after everything I'm not sure if I want to try again. I can't go through this again and I don't know if you'll ever understand that I didn't care where I was just as long as I was with you. We can put Africa, and Randy behind us but I can't say that I know what our future holds but at least we've taken the first step and talked about it. That's the best I can do now. I just need to focus on me for a change, I'm sorry if that sounds selfish but that's just the way it has to be. I hope you understand."

Donna leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on Eric's cheek. "Let's just take it as it comes and see if we can get through this together. That has to be enough for now. Everything else will come in its own time." Donna leaned back into her seat and waited anxiously for Eric to speak knowing that his reaction would spell a new beginning or the final end.

"Donna, we can take it as slow as you need. As long as I'm with you then I know everything will work out. I do love you, don't ever doubt that." Eric said with heartfelt emotion. He reached up and brushed the tears off her cheek. "We'll be okay. I know we will."

With a soft smile Eric turned the key in the ignition and started the Cruiser and headed towards Madison hopeful that this time everything would finally work out.

A/N: For the premise of the story, Eric sent Donna a Dear Jane letter. I could not remember whether he broke up with her over the phone or in a letter but the letter bit suited the story better.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thank you again for the reviews!

She could not believe she was freaking selling cheese again, cheese! She swore she would never go near that stuff again. She thought she had spent way too many months coming home smelling like day old smelly feet dressed in some perverted man's fantasy of a milk maid costume to even contemplate doing it again.

But here she was doing exactly that. It had only been a week since they got back to Point Place and she had desperately needed a job. Her mother was nowhere to be found and her father was still in prison. Any money he had was very well hidden and he wasn't telling her where. He had said something about growing up and being her own person and taking care of herself. The man was a sadist Jackie thought with frustration.

Jackie walked over to a bench and sat down placing her cheese tray next to her. Well at least she could look herself in the mirror now without cringing. The first thing she had done when Fez and she had gotten back to Point Place was to get some much needed beatifying aids. So she looked good, she just stunk like moldy cheese. A grimace formed on her face at that last thought. Well, the job would do for the time being. It wasn't like she was going to be the cheese pimp forever. Just long enough for her to save up some money and try again in Chicago.

She had done a lot of thinking on the drive back with Fez. He had been happily listening to the Bee Gees so she didn't have to block out his incessant talking. It had given her a chance to really evaluate her life and all the twists and turns it had taken over the past year. Okay, she wasn't married and didn't have somebody rich to support her but she was still young and damn gorgeous, that was something. Her parents were gone so there was nothing there. She had pretty much lost her best friend. Donna had turned into a complete dumbass as soon as Eric left. She hadn't supported her when Steven married el sluto and had actually made friends with the skank! Jackie was still puzzling over that. It wasn't like Donna to abandon her friends and what the hell, Miss Women's Lib wanted to be friends with the very antithesis of the modern woman? What was that about? Maybe one day Donna would explain that one to her. It was a conversation Jackie was relishing the thought off. And Steven, well he was just like a completely different person. He hadn't even given her a damn chance to explain. After she had come back from Chicago and they had had a very brief conversation she thought that maybe there was a chance. But no, in walked the slut bag and that was the end of that.

Jackie looked down at her cheese tray and sighed in disgust. She really needed to get back up and peddle some more of this cheese but she just could not do it. People could wait a few more minutes to get their cheese fix. It wasn't like there wouldn't be more tomorrow.

Her thoughts drifted back to Steven. She wondered if it was even possible to try again with him, if she could maybe get him to listen. She didn't know if it was even worth it at this point. Steven had gone way beyond Zen in his attitude. Zen she could understand, Zen she could even appreciate at times but he was now just a pissed off asshole. She was pretty sure he still cared if only a little bit. The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference. Jackie was sure of that. Steven had sure not acted indifferent, he acted like he hated her. Not a day went by that he didn't find some little comment or some little dig to make her feel bad about herself and what made matters worse was that she had helped him! She had made some very stupid mistakes and she had pretty much passed herself around the damn circle like the joints they were always smoking.

Jackie was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear her name being called.

"Jackie?"

"No, Kitty, don't stop and talk to the loud one, she'll never shut up if you do."

"Oh hush Red" Kitty lightly slapped Red in the chest.

Red just rolled his eyes hoping he wouldn't be stuck in the damn mall all day listening to Jackie go on and on about something completely nonsensical. He'd be damned if he would let these kids make him miss Perry Mason for the hundredth time.

"Mr. and Mrs. Foreman!" Jackie squealed. She jumped up from the bench and launched herself into Red's arms.

"Oh My God Kitty, get her off me!" Red shouted.

Kitty laughed nervously "Jackie dear come on lets sit down." Kitty gently pried Jackie away from Red before he killed her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Foreman what are you doing here? I thought you were moving to Florida with Bob to do some nasty fish stuff?" Jackie said as she tried to bend over and move her cheese tray without giving anybody a peak at her panties.

"Oh well, we decided we couldn't sell the house. I couldn't leave all those memories and my friends and family behind and Red felt the same way right dear?" Kitty looked over at Red with a smile.

"Unh" Red grunted really hoping they would wrap this up soon.

"Yes, well. I thought you were going to Chicago with Fez? Did something happen?" Kitty questioned.

"No, I just decided that I had some things here that had to be cleared up and after breaking up with Fez…"

"Oh my poor dear, did Fez leave you? Well, it's for the best you know. He's had a crush on me for years; I even caught him in my closet one time feeling up my blouse. Can you believe that? It's just so sad…"

"Umm, yea" Jackie looked at Kitty like she had grown two heads. "You mean he actually… no never mind. I don't want to know." Jackie said with revulsion.

"Kitty, look we really need to get going. I'm not spending the rest of the day in this mall surrounded by dumbasses."

"Red, shut it. You're retired; you haven't got anything else to do. God forbid you miss Perry Mason. I thought we had already established that he always wins." Kitty shook her head and turned back to Jackie.

"What are you doing here in the mall? Are you selling cheese again?" Kitty muttered with distaste.

"Only for the time being, just until I get some money saved up." Jackie hoped she sounded convincing as she was trying to convince herself of that more than Mrs. Foreman. "Anyway, so… you didn't move which means that the umm basement is available for someone to…"

"Well since Steven found an apartment when we thought we were moving the house is pretty empty now." Kitty said with sorrow. "My boys are gone. The house just feels like it's missing something…"

"Kitty" Red said warningly. No she couldn't even think it. It was not going to happen. He had just gotten all those damn kids out of the house. She wouldn't…

Red's thoughts were interrupted by Kitty's squeal. "Jackie! Why don't you move into the basement until you get back on your feet? Since your dad's in jail and your Mom is probably slutting it up somewhere and you can't really move back in with Fez it's the perfect solution!" Kitty exclaimed with excitement. "It'll be so great having you around and having someone to talk to and cook for again!" Kitty clapped her hands together and started smiling. "Oh and we can redecorate and make it all girly! This is going to be so much fun!"

"Kitty, wait…no. She can't stay with us. Don't you remember this was going to be us time… we wouldn't have to worry about people being in the house and we could…"

"Red, we have plenty of years for that! How could you even think about this poor girl living in squalor? No, that's it. I've made up my mind; Jackie is going to stay with us. Isn't that right Jackie?" Kitty looked to Jackie for confirmation.

Jackie had no idea what to say. She was just trying to hint around about Steven. She wasn't looking for a place to live. Although, she would be able to save money quicker and Mrs. Foreman could cook a semi decent meal given what she had to work with. She really wouldn't mind having some company other than FluffyCakes who was looking pretty ratty after she had almost killed the poor thing pretending it was Steven's head. Maybe this wasn't that bad of an idea Jackie thought.

"Well, thank you so much for the offer Mrs. Foreman…" She was interrupted by Red.

"See Kitty, she doesn't want to live with us." Red said with relief. "Now let's just get goi…"

"No, I think it's a great idea Mr. Foreman!" Jackie turned to Kitty. "Thank you so much for the offer. It's going to help a lot. And you said something about redecorating?" Jackie could not say no to anything that included shopping.

"Yes, let's start on that now. Oh this is going to be so great! I saw the perfect plaid couch earlier, it's supposed to be the new style for the 80's!"

At that Jackie blanched. There was no way she was going to put her beauty next to anything that was plaid, especially furniture. "We'll see Mrs. Foreman. Let's just get started." Jackie could not contain her excitement. Shopping was just the thing she needed to get her mind off her problems. Jackie reached down and grabbed Kitty's hand practically dragging her away leaving Red standing in the middle of the mall with his jaw hanging open and a half empty cheese tray on the bench beside him.


	8. Chapter 8

Hyde opened the sliding glass door which lead to the Foreman's kitchen and looked around. "Hello, anybody here?" Hyde walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer before settling down at the table to wait for Kitty or Red to get home. He had decided not to leave Point Place. Most of his friends were gone and he had no woman but at least he had a job here and a decent one at that. Where else could he go in late, goof off the whole time and enjoy some film while getting paid? Yea, to even think of leaving had been pretty stupid. Hyde heard a car in the driveway and stood up to meet the Foreman's when a voice made him pause.

"Mrs. Foreman, this stuff is just great. You're going to have the nicest living room on the block thanks to me and my divine decorating sense. So much better than that pea green chair and that awful couch. And glass grapes? Really Mrs. Foreman what were you thinking?"

Hyde peeked past the wall that he was hiding behind and looked out the glass doors. He saw Jackie talking and pointing at various objects. Why the hell was Jackie with the Foreman's? Why was Jackie even here? She was supposed to be in Chicago with Fez.

Kitty laughed nervously "Yes, well we'll just get this stuff into the living room and then call Fez so he can help Red move the old furniture down to the basement."

Hyde saw Kitty open the trunk of the Toyota and start taking things out. Wait, what was going on here? They bought new furniture…with Jackie! Obviously Mrs. Foreman must have been dipping into the wine a bit too much recently. What would possess her to take Jackie shopping?

"We don't have to move the chair to the basement right Mrs. Foreman? That can just go to the dump I mean it really is ugl…" Jackie was interrupted by Red's bellow.

"Nobody is taking my chair! That is my chair and if you lay one hand on it Kitty I 'll…"

"You'll what Red? Put your foot in something? The chair goes. If you don't like that then fine you can keep your chair, but you'll be cooking dinner for yourself." With that Kitty slammed the trunk down and turned towards Jackie.

"But… what… no… wait... my chair. Kitty you can't. Oh Fine! Fine. You win. Take my chair. You know a chair is a man's throne. You're taking a way my throne Kitty…"

Kitty looked at Red like he was crazy "What are you talking about? Oh you know what; we'll get you another throne Red, something that won't clash with my new white faux leather sofa."

Hyde watched as Kitty shook her head and walked towards the basement muttering incoherently. He shifted his gaze back to Jackie and Red at the sound of Jackie's voice.

"Mr. Foreman, look I know you might not like me all that much although I don't see how because I'm so perfect but I really do appreciate what you and Mrs. Foreman are doing for me."

Hyde strained to hear Red's response, he thought he heard something about the basement and his old bed but that couldn't be right as that wouldn't make any sense. Why would Red and Jackie be talking about his old bed? Shit, they're headed this way Hyde thought. He quickly spun around looking for a place to hide but there was nowhere. He quickly donned his shades and sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed a magazine so he wouldn't look like he was eavesdropping.

"So, I'll call Fez and have him come over and help you move these things Mr. Foreman." Jackie said as she walked into the house with Red not looking too thrilled behind her. Hyde shrugged down in the chair feigning interest in whatever it was he was supposed to be reading hoping that she wouldn't notice him and he could get out of there.

"Hyde!" Damn it, so much for that Hyde thought. "What the hell are you doing here? Are you reading Cosmo? Oh my God, the boys turned into a fruit. Put that magazine down before I put my foot in your ass." Red said threateningly.

Crap, he had grabbed a freaking Cosmo? Great, just freaking peachy. Now not only did he have to deal with Jackie he had to figure out a way to explain his odd reading habits. "Red, I'm not reading it. Damn man, haven't you seen some of the chicks in this magazine? Smoking hot!" Hyde glanced at Red hoping that was enough to satisfy him. He saw Red roll his eyes. Well he might not buy it but he wasn't going to press it and for that Hyde was grateful.

"Yea Mr. Forman Steven doesn't have anyone and he sure as hell doesn't have a chance getting with someone that looks like that so he's forced to read magazines and dream of me." Jackie stated innocently.

Hyde chose to ignore Jackie for the time being. "Mr. Foreman I need to talk to you and Mrs. Foreman about something."

Just then Kitty came flying into the kitchen. "Red, the furniture store called and they'll be delivering the couch next week." She clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh I can't wait. This is just the change we need! Oh Red, we'll throw a party to show all the neighbors the new furniture!" Hyde watched Kitty flutter around the kitchen talking about parties and showing the neighbors up. "No sir, those Bakers will have nothing on us now. They think they are so big with their new car and great jobs and doctor son. Well we'll show them. I bet they don't have a leather couch. No siree they do not." Kitty stated emphatically.

"Umm... Mrs. Foreman?" As much as Hyde liked listening to Kitty talking nonsense he really had to talk to them.

"Oh, Steven, I didn't see you there. Well, what are you doing here? Wait…are you hungry? Well, you must be. Let me make you something to eat." Kitty bent down and started rifling through the cabinets looking for a pot.

"No, Mrs. Foreman. I'm not hungry. Could you just come over here and sit down for a minute?"

Hyde saw Jackie looking at him quizzically and chose to ignore it. He had enough crap now without throwing Jackie into the mix.

Kitty sat down on the table and grabbed Hyde's hands. "Steven is something wrong? Oh, you're coming to me and Red about it… Oh, Steven. What can we do to help? You just tell us what's wrong and we'll fix it." Kitty said earnestly.

Hyde was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Here he was sitting in his best friends parent's kitchen with his surrogate mother holding his hands, Red glaring at him and his ex-girlfriend contorting herself into an unnatural position so she could eavesdrop. Crap, he really didn't want to do this in front of Jackie. Damn it, he had no choice.

"Look, Mr. and Mrs. Foreman Grooves isn't doing so well right now. WB left me the store so I figured since it was my money I had better look over the books. Come to find out there weren't any books. Well there were but they kind of stopped when Angie left. Anyway, so I crunched some numbers and the store is kind of in debt. Not a lot of debt but enough that I need to get it taken care of before it turns from bad to worse."

"He's not even my own kid and he's asking for money. Christ." Red shook his head.

"No, Mr. Foreman I don't want any money. I want to like do this on my own. You know? WB trusted me enough to give me Grooves and really I don't have much else going for me so I want to make it work."

"Well, Steven if it isn't money you want then what can we do to help?" Kitty asked.

Hyde sighed. "Mrs. Foreman, I know this is a lot to ask but do you think I could move back into the basement? I could still pay you guys and everything but it would be a lot cheaper than my own apartment and I could use that money to help the store."

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room. Red looked over at Kitty who was looking at Jackie. Hyde looked at Jackie puzzled by the odd look on her face.

Kitty turned back to Hyde, looked down at their clasped hands and sighed. "Oh dear."


	9. Chapter 9

"Well, we're here." Eric stopped the car and looked over at Donna "So…"

"Yep, we're here." Donna looked around at the campus through the windshield. "I guess we might as well go and get my room assignment." Donna reached into her purse and grabbed a map of the campus. "Okay, according to this admissions should be that red building over there." Donna pointed to a large brick building directly to their left. Donna looked over at Eric and saw that he was slumped in his seat staring at his hands. She put the map back into her purse and leaned over to take his hands. "Eric, it's going to be okay. We'll work something out. I know because you left your teaching assignment early the foundation won't pay for all of your college but at least they agreed to pay for the first two semesters. I know it's going to be rough having to work and go to school at the same time and we might not see each other that often but I know we'll get through this together."

Eric looked up at Donna and searched her eyes looking for any shred of doubt. He couldn't find any. She really seemed to want to make this work. Alright, he thought. We can do this. Eric smiled at Donna "Okay, if you're ready then so am I. Let's do this." Eric let go of Donna's hands, opened the drivers side door and stepped out of the cruiser. Donna quickly followed. They clasped hands and walked towards the admissions building.

When they got there they were met by an elderly lady who was barely tall enough to reach the counter. "May I help you?" she uttered sweetly. Donna opened up her purse and grabbed her admissions documentation. She placed the packet on the counter. "Hello, Mrs…." Donna looked down at the nameplate on the counter. "Mrs. Feinstein, I'm Donna Pinciotti and I registered last month to start this semester. I was given a dorm assignment and I just need to find out where that is."

Mrs. Feinstein took the papers, looked them over and then walked over to a large file cabinet. She came back with a file folder labeled 1980 Winter Semester Dorm Room Assignments and started to leaf through them quickly "Hmm … P … Parr, Pat, Paul, Pembroke, Percy, Plumb, Portman, Prier…. That's odd I don't see a Pinciotti here. Let me check one more place." Mrs. Feinstein walked back to the file cabinet.

Eric tugged Donna's hand with a worried look in his eyes. Donna glanced over at him and squeezed his hand to reassure him that everything would be alright. Mrs. Feinstein came back with another folder. "Okay, let's take a look in here. Hmm…Perry, Pernt… ah ha! Pinciotti. Here we go. Well, I'm sorry to say this dear but we don't have a room for you. You were put on a waiting list. By the looks of this there are 15 girls ahead of you so unless 16 girls don't show well you're not going to be living on campus." Mrs. Feinstein closed the folder and rapped it against the counter to even the papers. "Was there anything else I could help you with?" She asked looking first at Eric and then Donna.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about? I specifically asked for a dorm room and I got a reply from you guys telling me that I had a room!" Donna shouted. "This can't be happening. I need a room."

"Well, there's no need to shout young lady. Humph. I wish there was something I could do to help. There must have been a computer mix-up. You know we just started using them and they are a bear to work with let me tell you. Between you and me I'm sure they'll be a passing phase. Nothing can beat plain old paper and pen I always say. Who needs these newfangled gadgets? All they do is make life more difficult…"

Eric grabbed Donna's hand and dragged her away from the babbling old woman. Well, he wasn't so confident that they would make this work now. Not only did he not have a place to live but neither did Donna.

"You know what? Fine, they don't have a room. It's okay. I'll just live with you Eric. We'll find a place. Of course now I have to get a full time job instead of a part time job but it'll work right? Donna looked at Eric for confirmation.

"Umm, sure. Yes. Right. Of course this'll work. No worries. We'll just live together. This is not a big deal. It sure isn't anything to get worked up about." Eric hoped Donna didn't pry too deeply and just took his words at face value. This really wasn't that big of a deal but it would push them together much faster then either had anticipated and he was a little worried about that but Donna seemed relieved so maybe this could work.

"Okay then well classes start in two days and we don't have anyplace to live so we might want to get started on that. I saw a newsstand when we were pulling onto the campus. Let's take a look at that and see what we can find. At this point I'll just be happy if there were four walls and a roof." Donna turned around and headed towards the Cruiser. When she didn't hear Eric following her she turned around. "Hey, Eric are you coming or what?"

Eric was pulled from his thoughts." What, coming? Oh Yes! I'm coming. Let's go." They both got into the cruiser and headed to look for apartments.

A/N: Yea E/D is immensely hard. I really have no idea where I am going with this. Just so you know ;)


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Thank you so much to all of you who have taken the time to review this. I really appreciate it!

"Is there a problem?" Hyde asked quizzically while glancing at Jackie and Kitty.

"Problem? No! Why would there be a problem? No problems here!" Kitty laughed nervously. "Well isn't this awkward. You see Steven I kind of already told Jackie she could stay in the basement since she doesn't really have anyplace else to go."

Well this was an interesting turn of events Hyde thought and it also explained the odd conversation he had overhead between Jackie and Red. "Oh, well that's cool. I'll just…"

"No! No, we'll figure something out." Kitty let go of his hands, stood up and started to pace the kitchen. "Well you two certainly can't share the basement. Not after… well you know." Kitty whispered.

Red threw his hands up in frustration. "Kitty, no. We're not going to have the both of them here. We just got rid of our own kids. What do you want to turn our house into the shelter for people who won't get off their asses and go to college? Why don't you just hand a sign "Dumbasses Welcome Here'! Before you know it the foreign kid and the idiot will be sleeping in our bed!"

"Oh, Red come on now. It's not that big of a deal. It's not like its forever either. They'll both stay here but I just have to figure out where." Kitty pursed her lips and resumed her pacing.

Red just shook his head and walked into the living room muttering something about losing control.

"Oh, I know! Jackie, you'll stay in Laurie's room. It's not like she's coming back anytime soon. And Steven, you can move back into the basement. Well good, that's finally settled. I'm going to run to the store and pick up a few things for dinner. See you!" Kitty hurried out of the kitchen wanting to get away from the tension that had been building in the room. Serves them right she thought. They had had almost a year to patch things up or at least try and play nice with each other and now fate was going to step in and take over.

Jackie watched Kitty run out of the room. Great she thought. Now what? She wasn't ready for this situation. She looked down and groaned. Son of a … she was still in her freaking cheese maiden uniform. Wonderful, that's just how she had wanted to greet Steven the next time she saw him.

Hyde's head popped up when he heard Jackie groan. How the hell had this happened he wondered? His day was going from bad to horrible. First he found out that Grooves was in debt or rather he was as the new owner and now he had to live with Jackie. When they were together he hadn't thought he could live with her and now they were further part then they had been even when she was a complete nuisance dating Kelso. Man, the only thing that could make this worse was for someone to tell him that Andy Gibb smoked pot.

Hyde dropped his head into his hands and started to massage his temples. Okay, he could deal with this. They had barely talked since he found out he was married to Sam. Well he thought he had been married. But that was beside the point. What could he have said to her? The only thing he could think of was "I hate you for sleeping with Kelso and destroying the one thing I had in my life that mattered to me." But that just wasn't him. He didn't have a way with words and he sure wasn't going to let her think that he gave a crap about what she had done.

"Steven?" Hyde looked up at the sound of Jackie's voice. He grabbed his shades off his shirt and settled them on his face. "Yea?"

Jackie walked over to him and he looked at her for the first time. What the hell was she wearing? That outfit looked familiar. It took him a few seconds to place it. She was pimping cheese again? "Is that the cheese pimp outfit?" Hyde smirked looking her up and down.

Jackie frowned. "It doesn't matter. And I'm not pimping cheese! I needed a job and this was the only thing I could find. Oh, you know what it doesn't matter." Jackie swore. "Look, Steven we need to talk, you know about things that happened. I…"

Hyde cut her off. "Jackie we don't need to talk about anything. What is in the past is in the past. It's probably better that it ended up that way. I mean… me married to you... yea that would have never worked." Hyde swore to himself. Crap why did he even say the word marriage? He knew her; she was going to latch on to that like a leech. He stood up and started to walk out of the room hoping he could make a clean exit.

"Steven, wait!" Jackie jumped up and rushed over to him. "Why did you say that? No, I am not going to believe that you came to Chicago to propose, that doesn't make any sense. Instead of talking to me you spent the night getting drunk in a beer warehouse. A beer warehouse Steven!" Jackie shouted.

Hyde slowly turned around spoke roughly "We are not going to have this conversation. The past is done with. You can believe whatever you want to believe. I could care less. I'm done playing the what if game. I stopped the day Sam showed up. I suggest you do the same."

Hyde spun back around and walked out of the room. Jackie stumbled back reaching for the kitchen counter. She grabbed it and steadied herself. No, she thought. She couldn't have made that big of a mistake. She was sure he was going to say no and that would be the end of them. When he didn't come after her within the first few days she had been sure of it. Now he was telling her something completely different and she wasn't sure if she could handle this new reality.


	11. Chapter 11

"Eric, I think this is the one." Donna exclaimed pointing to a nondescript building. "I have a really good feeling about this apartment."

Eric parked the cruiser in front of the building and stepped out. "Umm Donna, are you sure about this? I mean this…" Eric looked around and sputtered "No, no... Oh my God."

Donna looked over at Eric just in time to see him trying to launch himself into her arms. "Eric! What the hell?" Donna managed to squeak out before she splattered onto the concrete.

"Donna, I saw... there was… No... This is not the apartment. Come on let's go… like now Donna." Eric hastily retreated back to the safety of the cruiser.

"Eric! You come back here this instant you dill hole and tell me what the hell is wrong with you!" Donna shouted as she was getting up from the ground. She wiped off her corduroy pants and put her hands on her hips staring at Eric who was cowering behind the Cruiser.

"No, Donna. I saw a spider. And not like a normal spider. This thing was huge! It must have been the size of your head. Come on let's go, that could be a baby and I do not want to see what its daddy looks like."

Donna threw her hands into the air in frustration. "Eric, for god's sake you are acting like a freaking girl. It's just a spider. It won't hurt you." Donna glanced back at the building and then turned back to Eric with a placating tone. "Eric, come on it's just a little bug. It is way more afraid of you then you are of it. You're like 100 times bigger than it."

"I don't…" Eric looked up at Donna and saw she was wearing the my boyfriend is a sissy little girl face and he frowned. Well wasn't this just dandy. Okay, it was just a bug... sure it has eight freaking legs and huge fangs and it could … Eric shook himself and tried to stop the onslaught of images that were bombarding his brain. This is just silly he thought. I'm going to be a man about this.

"Okay. I'm coming." Eric slowly walked over to Donna. "Well, let's go see this apartment. It's the only one we haven't seen that we can afford so I'll try."

"Thank you. It won't be that bad. You'll see!" Donna smiled and proceeded to walk to the entryway. "Hey wait up!" Eric stuttered. He walked in step behind Donna. If the spiders were carnivorous maybe they would eat her first and he would have a chance to get away.

Donna stopped and Eric bumped into her. "You're plan wouldn't work you know." Donna stated while looking up at the fifth floor. "If, and that's a really huge if, the spiders were man eating I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to get away in time. Enough about the damn spider, let's go."

Donna opened the entryway door and was greeted by a smell that should not be present anywhere other than a strip club bathroom. Her nose twitched and she decided breathing through her mouth would be the best course of action.

"Oh wow, what the hell is that smell!" Eric covered his mouth and stopped in the doorway. "Smell? What smell? I don't smell anything." Donna turned around and grabbed Eric and pulled him into the building. "Oh really? Well then why do you sound like you have a box of Kleenex shoved up your nose hmm?" Eric asked as he carefully stepped into the building.

"Eric, just shut up. It says here the manager is in room 102 so let's find that." Donna walked down a narrow hallway and spied a door at the end. "Here it is." Donna proceeded to reach up and was about to knock when she was stopped by Eric.

"No, I'm the man. I'll handle this." Eric squeaked. Well that was supposed to come out a little better Eric thought ruefully. Donna rolled her eyes and stepped back. "Fine, you handle it but don't lose us the apartment before we even have a chance to see it. Don't act like a girl and don't under any circumstances bring up Star Wars in any way even if it seems fitting, which by the way is never, just so you know for future reference."

"Donna, I'll have you know that the principles taught by George Lucas apply to many, many different things."

"Eric! Just knock on the damn door already!"

"Okay, Okay." Eric turned around and was about to knock when the door swung open.

"Who the hell is out here making such a racket? Don't you have any respect! Your making me miss the previews for _The Empire Strikes Back_!"

Donna peaked her head out from behind Eric, looked up and down at the manager and groaned. "Not another one. How many doofus's can live in one state?"

"Umm yea, we're here to see the apartment that was advertised in the paper." Eric grabbed the paper out of Donna's hands and shoved it at the building manager.

The manager grabbed it and threw it behind him. "That's it? Well come back later." The manager turned around leaving the door hanging open and Eric heard him shout. "God damn it! I missed it. I swear to…" The manager turned back around and walked out the front door slamming it behind him. "I might as well show it to you now." The man yelled walking past Eric and Donna. He walked a few feet and turned around and stared at Donna and Eric who hadn't moved. "Well are you coming or not? Geez, like I have all day to spend with you morons."

"Umm Eric, remember what I said about Star Wars?" Donna whispered. Eric nodded. "I was wrong. Talk about it now. A lot. Make all those goofy references that nobody understands because I'm pretty sure this guy will and we really need this apartment."

Eric stood up straighter and grinned. "See, I told you my love of Star Wars would help us out one day. Don't worry this apartment is in the bag." Eric walked towards the building manager. Donna followed behind him grateful for once that Eric was such a dumbass.


	12. Chapter 12

Jackie dropped her last suitcase on her new bed. She would have to change the sheets of course and fumigate the mattress but it would do. It was certainly cheaper then the apartment she had been renting the past week she thought. She turned around and sat on the floor and began to unpack boxes. Two hours later she was almost done. The only box she had left was the one marked Steven. She debated as to whether she should just put it in the closet on the top shelf or if she should actually unpack it. She had boxed everything up she had that he had either given her or that reminded her of him the night the whore showed up.

Jackie grabbed the box and sat on her bed placing it beside her. She didn't know if she was ready for the onslaught of memories she would experience if she opened it. She stared at it a few moments longer before deciding to just open the darn thing. They were just things. Jackie reached over and tore the box open. She examined the contents. In retrospect it was pretty pathetic. There were only a handful of items in the box, these few items were all she had to show for three years of her life. She reached in and withdrew the Led Zeppelin T-Shirt he had given her on her first birthday with him. She brought it to her nose hoping to catch a whiff of him. She knew all she would smell was detergent, she had washed it dozens of times but it was worth a try.

She placed the shirt next to her and withdrew the next item. She held it up and smiled remembering the day he had given her the locket. She had poked fun at it because it wasn't 24K Gold because well if she hadn't people would have thought she was crazy but in reality she had loved it simply because Steven had taken some time out of his day and thought about her long enough to buy it. She got up and placed it in her jewelry box and walked back to the bed.

She peered into the box and saw a few cards and letters that he had written her. She sat back down on the bed and looked at one of the cards. The front read _On star: Shine, Glow, Light, Dream, Brilliance, Twinkle, Sparkle, Bright_. She opened it and read his words.

_Jacks,_

_I know I made a big deal about not going to a graduation party and I'm sorry. I know you take this crap much more seriously then the rest of us. So, congratulations on graduating and getting out of the clutches of the mind polluting man. Seriously though, you are a bright shining star and I know you'll go far babe._

_-H_

Jackie put the card back in the box and sighed. She definitely wasn't going to be reading the rest of them. It was just too much especially after his revelation earlier. Now she new she had screwed things up much greater then she had really thought. She sat on the bed and looked around the room. This is stupid she thought. She still loved him. She knew he had to still have feelings for her. She needed to come up with a plan, a way to get him back. She just wasn't sure how. Demanding never really worked with Steven and he wasn't an idiot like Michael so any schemes she could come up with would backfire. Jackie's eyes landed on the Led Zeppelin T-Shirt and a plan began to form. All she really had to do was remind him of what he was missing; it would be even easier because she basically lived with him now. She could make sure she was around him almost all the time.

"Jackie!" Jackie's head swung up when she heard Mrs. Foreman's yell. "Time for dinner!"

Jackie grabbed the T-shirt, put it on quickly and headed down the stairs putting plan A into motion. When she got to the kitchen door she took a deep calming breath and swung the door open. She looked around and her shoulders slumped. Where was Steven?

"Jackie dear, there you are. Would you do me a favor and grab the milk out of the fridge?" Jackie turned towards Mrs. Foreman and saw her placing dishes on the table. "Sure, Mrs. Foreman." Jackie walked over to the fridge and was about to open it when a gasp made her pause. She swung around and came face to face with Steven. He was staring at her and the T-Shirt with an odd look in his eyes. She felt a small sense of satisfaction. Yep, he wasn't over her. She was hoping the shirt would jar his memory. Not because he had given it to her but because the last time he had seen her in it they had been making love. Jackie smirked and grabbed the milk out of the fridge. She walked it over to the dining room table and sat down.

Hyde ripped his eyes away from Jackie. Damn, why was she wearing that shirt? He remembered that night vividly. He had snuck into her bedroom and watched her while she slept. It had taken him a few minutes to realize she was wearing the shirt he had given her. It had ridden up her hips and a pair of delicate lace panties had been peaking out. She had looked so hot that he couldn't help himself. He had woken her up and they had had the freaking hottest sex he had ever had. Hyde shook himself. No use going down that path Hyde thought. Whatever game she was playing was not going to work. He wasn't going to allow her to hurt him again. Hyde walked over to the table, sat down and watched Mrs. Foreman put way too much food on his plate.

"Mrs. Foreman. That's enough. I'm not all that hungry."

"Oh Steven you're a growing boy, you need the food!" Kitty plopped another helping of mashed potatoes on his plate.

"Kitty, that's enough. He isn't growing anymore. He's 19, that's it he's done. What you see is what you get." Red remarked trying to grab the bowl of mashed potatoes.

"No Red. This isn't for you. Remember your heart." Kitty admonished.

"Oh... remember your heart." Red mimicked. "Just give me the damn bowl Kitty." Red took the bowl out of her hands and dished himself a large helping.

"Fine Red. If you have another heart attack it'll be all your fault. I'll just leave you helpless on the floor. Maybe the foreign kid will show up and help you because I sure won't." Kitty shook her head.

Jackie watched the interplay between the couple and smiled. She looked up and caught Steven's eyes and saw him smirk. Well at least he would communicate with her even if it was only that. "So… Steven. How is work?" Jackie uttered sweetly between bites.

Hyde paused. Jackie was asking him about the store? What was she up to? Hyde decided to play along. "Well, other than what you heard earlier, everything is cool. How is the cheese thing going?"

"Oh well, its okay. I mean selling cheese isn't you know that rewarding or anything but it's a job…" Jackie trailed off. This was wrong. This is not the way this was supposed to go. He was supposed to see her and profess his undying love, not make small talk. The room grew silent while everybody finished their meal.

"That was great Mrs. Foreman. Thanks!" Hyde said as he stood up. "I'm going to head down to the basement and unpack the boxes I brought over earlier."

Jackie watched Steven leave the room. She was seriously losing her touch. He hadn't even looked at her on his way out. Jackie stood up and followed him. She reached the sliding glass door and turned around. "Oh, Mrs. Foreman thanks for dinner! It was pretty good." Jackie said with surprise.

She turned back around and continued to her destination. She walked down the steps and stopped at the landing. She didn't see any sign of Steven. He must be in his room she thought. Well, should she go in there or just wait for him on the couch? Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing phone. She heard Steven's voice float from his room. She tip toed over and listened at the door.

"Sure babe, what time?" Hyde opened a box and grabbed a fresh shirt. "Uh huh, yea whatever." He put it on and walked over to his dresser. "Okay, I'll be there soon."

Jackie heard him hang up and rushed over to the couch that Mr. Foreman had moved down to the basement that afternoon. "Crap." Jackie muttered. He had a date. Now what was she supposed to do? No, she had had enough. She had watched him with the slut and she was not about to let him find another one until he listened to what she had to say. She stood there and waited for Hyde to come out of is room.

Hyde checked his appearance in the mirror and turned around. He grabbed his wallet and walked into the other room. He stopped short when he saw Jackie perched on the edge of the couch facing him. She was obviously waiting for him. He wondered if she had heard him on the phone.

"Look Jackie I have no idea why you're here but I don't have time for this. I have a…"

"I know" Jackie cut him off. "I need to talk to you. You're going to sit here and listen to me for once. We haven't really talked about what happened for a year now. I can't continue like this. We need to get this out." Jackie looked at him beseechingly.

Hyde walked over to the couch and sat down. "Fine, but hurry up." Hyde growled. He really did not want to do this. He didn't want to sit through yet another Jackie excuse.

Jackie sat down next to him and turned to him. "Steven, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"You didn…"

Jackie held up her hand. "Just stop with the Zen will you? I know I hurt you. You denying it doesn't make it not true. When I told you about the job in Chicago I really expected something from you that I knew you weren't ready to give. But I needed something. It didn't have to be a proposal. Just the word 'stay' would have been enough but from where I was standing you weren't even capable of that. I needed to get out of here before you told me you didn't give a shit. I wouldn't have been able to get through that so I left. I waited in Chicago for you for a week and nothing. You didn't call; you didn't come... just nothing. I thought we were over. I was devastated."

"Wait a minute. You left before I even had a chance to say anything. You just took off and left a three line note!"

"Steven, what did you expect me to think? I asked you about our future and you got drunk in a freaking warehouse! How was I supposed to believe anything other than the fact that you were going to say no?"

"You were supposed to have some faith in me... this is idiotic. I'm leaving." Hyde started to stand up but was stopped by Jackie's hand.

"Steven, please. Just let me get this out." Hyde sighed and sat back down.

"Thank you. All I did the whole time I was in that hotel room was think of you. I was alone and homesick and the man I loved with all my heart didn't care enough to ask me to stay. Then Michael showed up. It was...I..." Jackie sighed. "I made a huge mistake. I was lonely and I needed something. I knew then that it wasn't Michael but…"

"Right, so you screwed Kelso because you were lonely? Give me a break Jackie. I've heard some stupid shit come out of your mouth but that by far is the dumbest."

"I know it doesn't make any sense. But put yourself in my place Steven. I was hurt and vulnerable and I just wanted some companionship. It was stupid and the biggest mistake of my life. When you came in the door my heart broke because you had finally come just about thirty minutes too late."

"So what, it's my fault?" Hyde exclaimed.

"No! No, that's not what I mean. I was mad at myself not at you. Mad because I had done the stupidest thing and I knew that if there had still been a chance that I had killed it, my actions were what destroyed the best thing I had ever experienced. All I can say is I'm sorry. I know how you felt now after the nurse." Jackie glanced at Hyde and could see that maybe this wasn't the time to mention that.

"No, I'm not bringing that up for any other reason other then to say maybe I finally understand what that was about. I know this was completely different. But Steven, I forgave you after that but when I got back here after giving up my job you wouldn't even listen to me. You just pushed me aside. You have no idea how much that hurt."

"Uh Jackie you were hurt? I was the one who found my girlfriend practically in bed with my best friend. What did you expect after that, roses?" Hyde rolled his eyes.

"I know, I know. I don't know what else to say about that other than I'm sorry. Look, I came back and I wanted to make it work. I was willing to grovel and Jackie Burkhardt does not grovel for anybody. But I was going to do it if that meant you would take me back. But you were married. You married a stripper when you wouldn't even think about the prospect with me. What is it about me that's so horrible Steven? How could you have let her stay?"

Hyde leaned his head back and listened to Jackie's sobs. He hated it when she cried and he didn't know what to say to her. Sam had been…well Sam had been easy. After he had seen Jackie with Kelso everything changed for him. He had decided not to let anyone under his skin again and there had been no risk of that with Sam. She was there for a romp in the hay and that was it. She didn't make him think and she didn't make him feel. And she had the added bonus of pissing Jackie off. Hyde thought about that. Had he let her stay simply to get back at Jackie? Hyde shook his head. He really didn't want to think about Sam. She was gone and in truth he wasn't upset about it. She had provided a brief respite from the demands Jackie had placed on him but he didn't really miss her. Hyde turned his head and looked at Jackie.

"Jackie, There isn't…damn!" Hyde leaned over and enveloped her in his arms and held her while she cried. "Jackie come on. Stop crying. There isn't anything wrong with you. Sam was just easy…" At that Jackie cried harder. "No, no that's not how I meant it! It was easier to stay with her than to face you and what had happened. Jackie, after Edna and Bud left I swore I wouldn't let anyone else in but somehow you crept your way into my life and I…"

Jackie raised her head and stared into his eyes. "You what Steven?"

"I… It doesn't matter anymore. We obviously just weren't meant to be together. The relationship was screwed from the start."

Jackie pushed herself out of his hold and stood up. "That's not true! Steven we were perfect together. You were the yin to my... oh what the hell is that saying!" Jackie yelled. "Screw it. We belonged together. I loved you Steven! Whether you want to admit it or not I know you loved me. Why can't we try and make this work again?" Jackie asked.

Hyde shook his head. "Jackie, none of that matters. You slept with Kelso, I thought I married Sam. Those aren't things you can just push aside. They'll always be there between us."

"Steven it does matter. I can't go on like this, with you hating me and ribbing me all the time. It hurts too much." Jackie knelt down in front of Hyde and grabbed his hands.

"Steven, I love you. I want to be with you. I don't care if you can't think about the future. As much as I want that more than anything I know that you aren't the type of person to plan your life out. I know that now and I don't care. I just... I need you Steven."

Hyde closed his eyes blocking Jackie from his view. He didn't know if he was ready to be with her again, not after all the crap that had happened. "So what, just like that? You'll forget about Sam?" Another thought occurred to him and he let go of Jackie's hands. "Jackie, what about Fez?"

"Fez?" Jackie stood up and began to pace. "Well, I broke it off with Fez. I don't know what I was thinking. It was stupid. I was being stupid. I think I was trying to make you jealous… I don't know."

Hyde absorbed that bit of information with satisfaction. He knew that's why they were together. He had known it the minute she had told him. He was glad to be proven right. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. "Jackie, look we need to work some more stuff out before we can even consider getting back together. I need to think. Neither one of us is ready okay?"

Jackie heard his words and smiled. There was still a chance. Okay, they weren't back together but she would leave him be about it for the time being. She knew she had gotten to him and that was what she had wanted. "Okay Steven. But when you're done thinking, I'll be here." Jackie leaned down to Hyde and brushed her lips across his. She stood up and walked towards the door. "Oh and by the way, you're about an hour late for your date." She said as she left the room.

Hyde watched her retreating form and smirked. To hell with Loretta, he had something much better right here at home.


End file.
